Grid innovations boost wind power potential on network by up to 25%

EUROPE: Grid operators could reduce the need to curtail wind by using technology already available, according to the findings of the Twenties pan-European grid study.

The Twenties projects have been operating across Europe

Spanish transmission system operator (TSO) Red Electrica de Espana found that by measuring the temperature of cables at two-metre intervals every ten minutes it was able to push through 10% more power before being required to curtail supply to prevent overheating.

This rose to 25% on windy days, when more power is available and the prevailing wind can also cool the cables.

The initiative is one of six from the three-year EU-funded Twenties project, which has tested ideas for more flexible grid systems needed to cater for the growing proportion of renewable energy.

The projects span 11 European countries, and involve a number of organisations, including TSOs and wind turbine manufacturers. Full findings of the project will be published next week.

Another project found a way of increasing power output from offshore wind farms during stormy conditions, reducing the need for back-up by 50%. Software installed on Dong Energy’s 91 wind turbines on Horns Rev II, in the North Sea off Denmark, monitored the speed at each wind turbine.

TSO Energynet.dk was able to selectively ramp down or shut down turbines at one part of the site, while other turbines experiencing lower wind conditions continued to generate power.

"These products can now become standard for every grid operator. They are already available — the projects have shown that they work, and have removed the risk," said Jacopo Moccia, head of policy analysis at the European Wind Energy Association.

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